Complementary tray for forming a container

ABSTRACT

A tray provides a base wall, two pairs of opposed side walls affixed to and extending from the base wall and laterally affixed to respectively adjacent side walls, a first of the pair of opposed side walls extending substantially different heights from the base wall, a second of the pair of opposed side walls extending substantially equidistant from the base wall, and the first and second pairs of opposed side walls each having complementary edges distal from the base wall to allow inversion of one tray over another tray to form a container in combination therewith. A blank is constructed to form such a tray, and two trays form a container.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to four-sided trays, and in particular to such trays which are complementary and can be used together in duplicate to form a container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various forms of trays have been widely used for many years for containing and transporting smaller items. One good example is the open-top trays or bins used by the U.S. Postal Service for handling mail, which trays are light weight and shaped to allow nested stacking.

As universally useful as these trays are, it is still desirable to further improve the functionality without losing existing functionality, durability for economy. For example, when mail is stacked in a currently used tray, capable of handling flat items up to 12 or 15 inches on a side, only the top pieces are accessible and removal of each piece is required to allow access to remaining pieces. If flat articles or mail pieces are positioned vertically in a row, the visibility of the mailing labels within the tray is limited. Further, existing mail trays can only be adequately closed with the use of a separate cover and the required handling and storage of the separate covers. These existing trays can only be partially covered by stacking trays, with the results of weight from upper trays resting upon the mail articles located in lower trays. Unfortunately, this causes damage if mail articles in the lower trays are vertically oriented.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention provides a tray for holding a row of flat articles standing on edge, comprising a flat base adapted for supporting a bottom edge of each flat article, a pair of opposed side walls affixed to the base and extending to substantially the same height from the base, a front wall affixed to the side walls and extending from the base to a preselected height adapted for allowing viewing of a surface of a flat article located within the tray and in the row, and a rear wall affixed to the side walls and extending from the base to a height substantially greater than the preselected height of the side walls.

In one form, twice the preselected height of a side wall substantially equals the preselected height of the front wall plus the preselected height of the rear wall. In another form, the preselected height of the front wall is approximately one half the height of the side walls. The preselected height of the rear wall may be approximately one and one-half times the height of a side wall.

The tray may be adapted to enable formation of a closed container by inversion of one tray over another tray. The side walls may each include a complementary engagement element adapted to prevent relative fore and aft movement between two trays forming a container. The front and rear walls each may include another complementary engagement element adapted to prevent relative movement between two trays forming a container. The front and side walls may be angled outwardly as they extend from the base to allow nested stacking of two or more trays.

The tray front wall and the rear wall may each include a hand hold adapted for supporting the tray. The hand holds may be cut-outs located proximally to the flat base in the front and rear walls.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a tray, comprising, a base wall, two pairs of opposed side walls affixed to and extending from the base wall and laterally affixed to respectively adjacent side walls, a first pair of the two pairs of opposed side walls extending substantially different preselected heights from the base wall, a second pair of the two pairs of opposed side walls extending substantially the same preselected height from the base wall, and the first and second pairs of opposed side walls each having complementary ends distal from the base wall adapted to enable formation of a closed container by inversion of one tray over another tray.

The first pair of opposed side walls may form a front wall and a rear wall of the tray. The rear wall may extend approximately three times as far from the base wall as the front wall. The front wall may have a preselected height to enhance viewing of one or more articles located within the tray.

The complementary ends of the first pair of opposed side walls may each include a complementary engagement element adapted to prevent relative movement between two trays forming a container.

Two or more of the side walls may be angled outwardly as they extend from the base wall to allow nested stacking of two or more trays.

One of the pair of opposed side walls of the tray may include hand holds adapted for supporting the tray. The hand holds may be cut-outs located proximally to the base wall in the first pair of opposed side walls.

The tray may further comprise at least one resistance element adapted to reduce movement of articles located within a tray, in a fore and aft direction with respect to the tray. The resistance element may include one or more ridges affixed to and extending from the base wall and running laterally with respect to the tray. The resistance element may also include one or more dividers extending laterally between the second pair of opposed side walls.

Yet another embodiment provides a container, comprising a pair of substantially identical trays, with at least one tray being adapted for inversion over another tray to form the container; wherein each tray comprises a base wall, two pairs of opposed side walls affixed to and extending from the base wall and laterally affixed to respectively adjacent side walls, a first pair of the two pairs of opposed side walls extending substantially different preselected heights from the base wall, and a second pair of the two pairs of opposed side walls extending substantially the same preselected height from the base wall, wherein the preselected heights of the first pair of opposed side walls are adapted to effectively close the container with inversion of one tray over another.

The first and second pairs of opposed side walls each may include complementary ends distal from the base wall and adapted to enable formation of the container by inversion of one tray over another tray. Two or more complementary ends may include a complementary engagement element adapted to prevent relative movement between two trays forming a container. One pair of the two pairs of opposed side walls may include hand holds adapted for supporting both a tray used as a bottom of a container, and a container.

Still another embodiment provides a flat blank adapted for forming a four sided tray, comprising a rectangular central panel adapted for forming a base wall of a four sided tray, two pairs of opposed side panels individually affixed to separate sides of the central panel along bend lines, a first pair of the two pairs of opposed side panels being adapted for forming a first pair of opposed side walls of the four sided tray and extending substantially different preselected lengths from the central panel, and a second pair of the two pairs of opposed side panels being adapted for forming a second pair of opposed side walls of the four sided tray and extending substantially the same preselected length from the central panel. The preselected lengths of the first pair of opposed side panels are adapted to form a closed container with inversion of one tray over another tray.

The first pair of opposed side panels may be adapted to form a front wall and a rear wall of the tray, and the preselected length of the panel adapted to form the front wall may be adapted to enhance viewing of one or more articles located within the tray. The first pair of opposed side panels may include a cut-out in each panel adapted to function as a hand hold for the tray formed from the blank.

The first and second pairs of opposed side panels may each have a complementary end distal from the central panel and adapted to support formation of a closed container by inversion of one tray over another tray. Two or more complementary ends of the first and second pair of opposed side panels may each include a complementary engagement element adapted to prevent relative movement between two trays forming a container. The preselected length of one panel of the first pair of opposed side panels is approximately three times the preselected length of another panel of the first pair of opposed side panels and approximately one and one-half times the preselected length of the second pair of opposed side panels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustratively shown and described in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tray constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of two trays of FIG. 1 combined to form a container in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a single tray constructed in accordance with a refined embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of two of the trays of FIG. 3 oriented to form a container;

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of three of the trays of FIG. 3 shown in a nested stacking relationship with each other;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a flat blank of material prepared in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention and adapted for construction of a four sided tray.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 generally shows a four-sided tray 10 holding a multiplicity of vertically oriented flat articles 12 representing a row of such flat articles 12, each standing on or supported by a bottom edge 14. Tray 10 generally includes a base or base wall 16, a first pair of opposing side walls 18, 19 and a second pair of opposing side walls 20, 21. Side walls 18-21 are all affixed to and extend from base wall 16 and are further affixed to their respective adjacent side walls to thereby form a rigid tray.

Opposed side walls 18, 19 form the front wall 18 a and a rear wall 19 a, respectively. Front wall 18 a extends from base wall 16 by a restricted, preselected height 18 b and is thereby adapted to enhance viewing of the contents of tray 10. More specifically, the preselected height 18 b of front wall 18 a allows better viewing of a surface 22 of such flat articles 12, and particularly of written material appearing on such surface 22, such as information on a mailing label 24.

Side walls 20, 21 extend from base wall 16 by a substantially equal height 21 a. Rear wall 19 a extends from base wall 16 by a height 19 b that is substantially greater than the height 18 b of front wall 18 a. More specifically, front wall height 18 b is approximately one half of side wall height 21 a and one third of rear wall height 19 b. Thus, rear wall height 19 b is approximately one and one half times the height 21 a of side walls 20, 21.

Tray 10 further includes a pair of hand holds 26, 27 located in the front wall 18 a and rear wall 19 a, respectively, and proximal to the base wall 16. Thus, when tray 10 is full of articles it may easily be carried. Hand holds 26, 27 may take any suitable form, such as the simplest form of a cut-out in each respective front wall 18 a and rear wall 19 a.

Tray 10 may be constructed with any suitable material, such as cardboard, plastic, wood, metal, etc., depending upon the intended use. While cardboard and plastic are lighter and better adapted for containing lighter articles, such as envelopes and mail, materials such as wood and metal (i.e. aluminum) are heavier but better adapted for durability and containing heavier items.

FIG. 2 shows a pair of trays 10, 30 configured to form a container 32. Tray 30 is substantially identical to tray 10. Tray 10 is simply reoriented from the position shown in FIG. 1 by flipping tray 10 over, front to back, thus inverting tray 10 over tray 30. Identical reference numbers appearing on trays 10, 30 indicate substantially identical parts thereof.

Each of the opposed side walls 18-21 includes a complementary end 34, 35, 36, 37 (FIG. 1), respectively, which is distal from base wall 16 and adapted to enable formation of container 32. Opposed side walls 18-21 and their respective ends 34-37 also include complementary engagement elements that are active in the formation of container 32. More specifically, front wall 18 a includes an engagement element in the form of a recess 40, and rear wall 19 a includes an engagement element in the form of a tongue or extension 42. With the formation of container 32, tongue 42 fits within recess 40 and thereby prevents relative lateral movement between trays 10, 30 in the direction of arrows 44. Likewise, both side walls 20, 21 include both a recess 46 and a tongue 48, which are adapted to engage a respective identical tongue 48 and recess 46 of an opposing tray 30, 10 with the formation of container 32. This engagement prevents relative movements between trays 10, 30 in the fore and aft directions of arrows 50. The examples of recesses 40, 46 and tongues 42, 48 described above are intended to be illustrative and any suitable engagement elements may be used.

FIG. 3 shows refinements of the present invention in the form of a tray 60, wherein the front wall 62 and side walls 63, 64 are angled slightly outwardly from base 66 and as they extend there from. This feature allows nested stacking of multiple trays as described in reference to FIG. 5.

Container 60 shows a further refinement in the extension of rear wall 68. Whereas previously described embodiments of rear wall 68 only extend to a level 68 a, which for example is approximately three times the height of front wall 62 and approximately one and one-half times the height of side walls 63, 64, rear wall 68 extends an additional height 68 b to make it more than three times the height of front wall 62. In this manner, formation of a container by the inversion of one tray 60 over another, allows the top end 70 of rear wall 68 to tuck in behind a complementary front wall 62 as indicated by phantom line 70 a. Similarly to recess 40 (FIG. 2) and tongue 42 (FIG. 2), this feature restricts relative lateral movement between trays forming a container. The relative position of rear wall end 70 with respect to a complementary front wall 62 of another tray forming a container is shown by phantom lines 70 a.

A still further refinement of tray 60 is shown in the lateral extensions 72 of rear wall 68. Whereas top end 70 is sized and shaped to tuck behind front wall 62, lateral extensions 72 are adapted to abut the top front portions 63 a, 64 a of side walls 63, 64 when two trays 60 form a container 76 (FIG. 4).

FIG. 4 shows a pair of identical trays 60 a, 60 b almost forming a container 76. Further movement of trays 60 a, 60 b towards each other would close the gap 77 there between and cause closure of container 76. As tray 60 a is lowered on to tray 60 b, top ends 70 tuck behind complementary front walls 62 and top front portions 63 a abut lateral extensions 72. This abutment by both trays forming a container restricts relative fore and aft movement between those trays. In this manner, the size and shape of rear wall 68 in relation to side walls 63, 64 and front wall 62 can be used to restrict relative movement between two trays in all four of the fore, aft and lateral directions. It should be noted that to compensate for the significantly further extension of rear wall 68 from base 66 over front wall 62, it is preferable for the obtuse angle 80 of rear wall 68 with respect to base 66 to be smaller than the obtuse angle 82 of front wall 62 with respect to base 66. This enables the proper intersection of top end 70 with front wall 62 when multiple trays form container 76. As an example, when rear wall 68 extends from base wall 66 three times the preselected height of front wall 62, then the obtuse portion (greater than 90°) of angle 82 should be three times the obtuse portion of angle 80.

FIG. 5 shows a lateral cross-section of three trays 60 indicating how multiple trays are stacked together. The limited amount of nesting shown in FIG. 5 between trays 60 is due to the relative dimensions chosen for the drawing. The design of nesting trays is well known, and greater degrees of nesting are readily available.

Tray 60 of FIG. 5 also shows an additional and optional feature in the form of resistance elements along base wall 66. These resistance elements are intended to prevent the movement of articles in the fore and aft directions of arrows 88 along the base wall 66. By preventing the sliding of articles along the base wall 66, the resistance elements allow vertically oriented flat articles 90 to be maintained with a substantially vertical orientation. The resistance elements may take the form of minimal ridges 84 and thereby have only a minimal impact on articles and 90. Alternatively, the resistance elements may take the form of dividers 86 which extent laterally across the width of tray 60. Ridges 84 and dividers 86 are also shown in phantom in FIG. 3 and are meant to represent the possible variation in height depending upon the particular application. Ridges 84, given their minimal height, do not necessarily need to extend across the full width the of tray 60, as indicated in FIG. 3. On the other hand, dividers 86, with their increased height, would likely need to extent between opposing sides 63, 64 in FIG. 3, in order to provide additional support for the greater height. Although ridges 84 and dividers 86 are shown in combination, they may also each be used as the sole resistance elements. Any suitable construction may be used to form ridges 84 and dividers 86.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the present invention in the form of a flat blank 100, which may be used to construct a four sided tray consistent with other embodiments of the present invention. Blank 100 generally includes a rectangular central panel 102, along with two pairs of opposed side panels 104 a, 104 b, 106 a, 106 b, which are affixed to central panel 102 along fold lines 103 a, 103 b, 103 c, 103 d, respectively. Central panel 102 is generally adapted for forming a base wall of a four sided tray.

A first pair of opposing side panels 104 a, 104 b are adapted for forming a first pair of opposed side walls of the four sided tray and extend substantially different preselected lengths 105 a, 105 b from central panel 102. A second pair of opposing side panels 106 a, 106 b are adapted to form a second pair of opposed side walls of a four sided tray and extend substantially the same preselected length 107 from the central panel 102. As shown in FIG. 6, the preselected length 105 a of side panel 104 a is approximately three times the preselected length 105 b of side panel 104 b and approximately one and one-half times the preselected length 107 of the second pair of opposed side panels 106 a, 106 b.

In the above manner, panel 104 b is adapted to form a front wall of the four sided tray as described above in reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, and the preselected length 105 b of panel 104 b is adapted to enhance viewing of one or more articles located within a formed tray. Further, panel 104 a is adapted to form a rear wall of the four sided tray. Side panels 104 a, 104 b, 106 a, 106 b further include complementary ends 104 c, 104 d, 106 c, 106 d, respectively, which are adapted to form a closed container with the inversion of one formed tray over another in the manner described in reference to FIGS. 2 and 4.

Panel 104 a may also include a complementary engagement element in the form of extension 120, which is sized and shaped in combination with complementary edge 104 d and side panels 106 a, 106 d to prevent relative movement between two trays forming a container in the same manner described in reference to FIG. 4. Panels 104 a, 104 b may further include hand holds or cut-outs 118 in the same manner described in reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

Any suitable means may be used to structurally form the four sided tray from blank 100. As an example, blank 100 further includes two pairs of attachment panels 110 a, 110 b, 112 a, 112 b, which are individually located between adjacently located side panels 104 a, 104 b, 106 a, 106 b to thereby provide an attachment means between adjacently located side panels 104 a, 104 b, 106 a, 106 b. The top surfaces shown for panels 110 a, 110 b may include suitable adhesive as well as a foldable flap 114 a, 114 b, respectively, to allow structural fixation of attachment panels 110 a, 110 b to respective side panels 106 a, 106 b. Further, side panel 104 b may include a foldable flap 116 for fixation to attachment panels 112 a, 112 b. In this manner, side panels 104 a, 104 b include complementary ends 104 c, 104 d distal from the central panel 102, which complementary ends 104 c, 104 d are adapted to support formation of a closed container by inversion of one such tray over another such tray. Likewise side panels 106 a, 106 b include distal ends 106 c, 106 d also adapted to support formation of such a closed container.

The present invention is illustratively described above in reference to the disclosed embodiments. Various modifications and changes may be made to the disclosed embodiments by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. 

1. A tray for holding a row of substantially flat articles standing on edge, comprising: a flat base adapted for supporting a bottom edge of each substantially flat article; a pair of opposed side walls affixed to said base, each extending substantially the same preselected height from said base; a front wall affixed to said side walls and extending from said base to a preselected height adapted for enabling viewing of a surface of a substantially flat article located within said tray and in the row; and a rear wall affixed to said side walls and extending from said base to a preselected height substantially greater than said preselected height of said side walls.
 2. The tray of claim 1, wherein twice said preselected height of said side wall substantially equals said preselected height of said front wall plus said preselected height of said rear wall.
 3. The tray of claim 1, wherein said preselected height of said front wall is approximately one half said preselected height of said side walls.
 4. The tray of claim 1, wherein said tray is adapted to enable formation of a closed container by inversion of one said tray over another said tray.
 5. The tray of claim 4, wherein said side walls each includes a complementary engagement element adapted to prevent relative fore and aft movement between two said trays forming said container.
 6. The tray of claim 4, wherein of said front and rear walls each includes another complementary engagement element adapted to prevent relative movement between two said trays forming said container.
 7. The tray of claim 1, wherein said front and side walls are angled outwardly as they extend from said base to allow nested stacking of two or more trays.
 8. The tray of claim 1, wherein said front wall and said rear wall each includes a hand hold adapted for supporting said tray.
 9. A tray, comprising: a base wall; two pairs of opposed side walls affixed to and extending from said base wall and laterally affixed to respectively adjacent side walls; a first pair of said two pairs of opposed side walls extending substantially different preselected heights from said base wall; a second pair of said two pairs of opposed side walls extending substantially the same preselected height from said base wall; and said first and second pairs of opposed side walls each having complementary ends distal from said base wall and adapted to enable formation of a closed container by inversion of one said tray over another said tray.
 10. The tray of claim 9, wherein said first pair of opposed side walls form a front wall and a rear wall of said tray, and further wherein said preselected height of said rear wall extends at least three times as far from said base wall as said preselected height of said front wall.
 11. The tray of claim 10, wherein said preselected height of said front wall enhances viewing of one or more articles located within said tray.
 12. The tray of claim 9, wherein said complementary ends of said first pair of opposed side walls each includes a complementary engagement element adapted to prevent relative movement between two said trays forming said container.
 13. The tray of claim 9, further comprising at least one resistance element adapted to reduce movement of articles located within a tray, in a fore and aft direction with respect to said tray.
 14. A container, comprising; a pair of substantially identical trays, with at least one tray being adapted to be inverted over another said tray to form said container, wherein each tray comprises: a base wall; two pairs of opposed side walls affixed to and extending from said base wall and laterally affixed to respectively adjacent side walls; a first pair of said two pairs of opposed side walls extending substantially different preselected heights from said base wall; and a second pair of said two pairs of opposed side walls extending substantially the same preselected height from said base wall, wherein said preselected heights of said first pair of opposed side walls are adapted to effectively close said container with inversion of said at least one tray over another.
 15. The container of claim 14, wherein said first and second pairs of opposed side walls each includes complementary ends distal from said base wall and adapted to enable formation of said container by inversion of one said tray over another said tray, and further wherein two or more of said complementary ends include a complementary engagement element adapted to prevent relative movement between two said trays forming said container.
 16. A substantially flat blank adapted for forming a four sided tray, comprising: a rectangular central panel adapted for forming a base wall of a four sided tray; two pairs of opposed side panels individually affixed to separate sides of said central panel along bend lines; a first pair of said two pairs of opposed side panels being adapted for forming a first pair of opposed side walls of said four sided tray and extending substantially different preselected lengths from said central panel; and a second pair of said two pairs of opposed side panels being adapted for forming a second pair of opposed side walls of said four sided tray and extending substantially the same preselected length from said central panel, wherein said preselected lengths of said first pair of opposed side panels are adapted to form a closed container with inversion of one said tray over another said tray.
 17. The blank of claim 16, wherein said first pair of opposed side panels are adapted to form a front wall and a rear wall of said tray, and further wherein said preselected length of said panel adapted to form said front wall is adapted to enhance viewing of one or more articles located within said tray.
 18. The blank of claim 16, wherein said first pair of opposed side panels include a cut-out in each panel adapted to function as a hand hold for said tray formed from said blank.
 19. The blank of claim 16, wherein said first and second pairs of opposed side panels each has a complementary end distal from said central panel and adapted to support formation of said closed container by inversion of one said tray over another said tray.
 20. The blank of claim 19, wherein two or more of said complementary ends of said first and second pairs of opposed side panels each includes a complementary engagement element adapted to prevent relative movement between two said trays forming closed container.
 21. The blank of claim 16, wherein said preselected length of one panel of said first pair of opposed side panels is approximately three times said preselected length of another panel of said first pair of opposed side panels and approximately one and one-half times said preselected length of said second pair of opposed side panels. 